Ebola in Liberia: Two Americans entering a "critical" phase

The two American doctors battling the Ebola virus are entering a ‘critical’ phase of their treatment, the head of the charity which sent them to Liberia has revealed.

Bruce Johnson, President of SIM USA, told MailOnline that within the next few days we will know if Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol are likely to survive.

He said that Ebola could turn for the worse within hours and that both the patients may soon begin to show signs of internal bleeding which could be fatal.

Mr Johnson also warned that unless the international community does more to stop what has become the most serious outbreak of Ebola in history then it will spark a ‘tsunami of destruction’ in Africa - and maybe beyond.

Last week Dr Brantly, 33, from Forth Worth, Texas, was identified as the first American to be diagnosed with Ebola, which kills up to 90 per cent of those it infects.

Mrs Writebol, 60, an educator turned missionary from Charlotte, North Carolina, was the second.

The condition update will be agonising for both their families - not least Dr Brantly’s wife Amber who is in the US with their two young children.

Dr Brantly and Mrs Writebol were in Liberia with SIM USA and Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian aid charity.

Dr Brantly was treating the sick whilst Mrs Writebol was disinfecting medics as they left isolation wards.

The two American doctors battling the Ebola virus are entering a ‘critical’ phase of their treatment, the head of the charity which sent them to Liberia has revealed.

Bruce Johnson, President of SIM USA, told MailOnline that within the next few days we will know if Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol are likely to survive.

He said that Ebola could turn for the worse within hours and that both the patients may soon begin to show signs of internal bleeding which could be fatal.

Mr Johnson also warned that unless the international community does more to stop what has become the most serious outbreak of Ebola in history then it will spark a ‘tsunami of destruction’ in Africa - and maybe beyond.

Last week Dr Brantly, 33, from Forth Worth, Texas, was identified as the first American to be diagnosed with Ebola, which kills up to 90 per cent of those it infects.

Mrs Writebol, 60, an educator turned missionary from Charlotte, North Carolina, was the second.

The condition update will be agonising for both their families - not least Dr Brantly’s wife Amber who is in the US with their two young children.

Dr Brantly and Mrs Writebol were in Liberia with SIM USA and Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian aid charity.

Dr Brantly was treating the sick whilst Mrs Writebol was disinfecting medics as they left isolation wards.